The Marauders
by 2112
Summary: Title explains it's Self. My first facfic, please R&R. Starts from the time each of them get their letters all the way to the end.OOTP/HBP/DH Spoilers for later chapters. Rotating POV between the 4 of them. NO SLASH. I own nothing, it all belongs to JKR!
1. Prologue

**Prologue **

"S**hh!" I hissed, waving a hand towards the Whomping Willow, branches sweeping and creaking violently in the wind, shadow growing rapidly as the sun set. "Come here, guys!"**

**I heard loud growls and galloping mixing in with the howls of the wind behind me. I turned around. A large, black dog was bounding after a stag and a rat, barking happily. **

"**James! Sirius! Peter! Now!" I shuddered as growl ripped its way through my chest. I threw a glance at the quickly darkening sky. "I don't have much time left."**

**Immediately, the animals looked at me, their eyes full of intelligence. Obediently, each one came towards me, but by the time they reached my side, they were not a dog, stag, and rat, but my three best friends, James, Sirius and Peter. **

**I felt their scents tug at my insides, awakening something primitive. Something I was struggling to control. And truth be known, it was scaring the hell out of me.**

"**I don't know how I let you talk me in to this," I whispered, only to find my voice barley audible above the wind. Sirius ignored me, instead turning to Peter. **

"**Go, Pete." He commanded. The dark outline against the horizon that was Peter remained rooted to the ground, however.**

**I leaned closer to Peter. I could see he was gaping at the Willow, its dark shadow thrashing madly in the glow of the silhouette . I could smell his fear so strongly I almost tasted it on my tongue. I shuddered again, forcing down the rumble building its way up my throat like bile. **

**James patted Peter on the back.**

"**Come on Pete. Just like we practiced. You can do it." He said kindly, pushing his glasses farther up his nose and shivering slightly in the November air.**

**Peter looked from James, to Sirius, and finally to me. When his eyes met mine, I nodded in encouragement. He smiled, although it seemed more like a grimace. I imagined how scary looking I must be right now. **

**Looking back to his destination straight ahead, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to hurtle toward the Whomping Willows' murderous branches. **


	2. Alone

"Remus! Remus, Come down stairs please!"

Remus gulped. What did she want now? He just wanted to be left alone, didn't she know that? He snarled, burying his nose further in the book he was reading.

There was a knock on the door, and he could hear his mother calling him from just outside. Annoyed, he jumped off the bed, hitting his head on the low ceiling. Growling and holding his head he crossed the room quickly. Kneeling down on the floor, he wrenched the trapdoor door open, to see his mum standing on the ladder. He pressed his body up against the wall, not wishing to be seen.

"Mum? I don't want to talk right now."

"I just...was going to suggest you go outside and play. You've been cooped up in your room for two days...I know your going through your rough patch right now, but it's just not healthy to spend all day in your room." Anna Lupin said timidly, gesturing to Remus' bedroom window. Remus felt a pang of guilt. There his 32 year old mother stood, still very young. Her long, dark brown hair that was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail was sprinkled with premature grey, her chocolate eyes lined with exhaustion. Because of him.

He did this to his parents.

He caused their stress.

He caused their pain.

He cause them to nearly go bankrupt trying to find a cure.

He had been foolish enough leave his bed and

go out into that yard that fateful summer night,

six years ago. Why? All because he had seen the full

moon through his attic room window, and, thinking it pretty,

had wanted a clearer view.

He hadn't gone back in the house when

he had heard rustling in the bushes. Back then he had been foolishly

stubborn, and outspoken. He had stood his ground, determined not to be scared.

Even if it was Remus that was thinking that, It was the wolf that was controlling his emotions. With each passing minute he could feel he was slowly losing the battle. If he went outside, who knows what he might do to the other kids. For just a moment, Remus' emotions and sensibility where able to fight its way to the surface of his mind.

"No, mum! I don't want to go out side! I just want to be left alone!" He called, nudging the trapdoor door closed with his toe, and sinking down at the base of the wall, pressing the palms of his hands in to his eyes, breathing heavily.

"Alright, honey. It was only an idea. Just call me if you need anything, just call."

Remus heard her hovering in the hall for a few seconds, as though she expected him to answer. When he didn't, he heard her sigh and go down the stairs.

Letting out a sigh of relief and taking his head out of his hands, Remus leaned his face up against the wall, tracing with his fingers the places on the exposed wooden walls where chunks where missing. He had made these bite marks last month. Pretty soon, he would have to spend full moons in the basement. He was getting to old to be contained in the tiny attic room.

A smell drifted upstairs from the kitchen, the smell of dinner being made. His mother was making steak for dinner. He considered going downstairs and telling her not to bother cooking it, but was immediately repulsed, pushing the thought out of his head. There was still hours left until moon rise, and he was already starting to lose his mind. Groaning, he struggled to stand up, going over to where a slightly chipped mirror was on top of his small dresser.

Turning his head side to side, he took in his appearance sadly. He didn't like what he saw. The dark circles under his eyes where considerably worse then they had been an hour ago. By the time the Moon Was about to rise, he usually appeared to have purplish black bruises under each eye, causing him to strongly resemble a racoon. He was so white and transparent, Remus laughed bitterly as an image of him blowing away on the wind like those muggle cartoon characters played in his mind.

His laughter immediately ceased when something caught his eye, and he gasped, leaning in closer to the mirror. His normally chocolate colored eyes (he had inherited his mother's eyes) Where already looking gold, the color of the wolf's eyes.

He didn't know why it surprised him so. Lately Wolfish characteristics had been creeping in his personality and looks much earlier before the Full Moon then normal. It got to the point some times that it would be a good week before transformation and he would already be craving raw meat and hiding in his room, growling and snarling at any who dare to disturb him.

He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, examining a strand before tucking it behind his ear. It had darkened, now closer to dark brown instead of his usual dirty blonde. He looked so contrasted to what he had yesterday. Normal was light hair, dark eyes. Now was light eyes dark hair. How odd.

Sighing, Remus tore his gaze away from the mirror, bending over and picking up the book he had sent flying in his mad scramble to the trap door. Collapsing onto the window seat, Remus pulled his knees to his chest. He was not one to cry. He never had. Not even during his painful transformation. Technically, it was impossible to cry while the transformation was happening. When he was stressed out or overwhelmed He just kind of pulled into his shell, became more quite then usual.

The cause of all this stress and insecurity was because Remus had begun to think about school.

He knew he would never be aloud to go.

He had talked about this with his mum and dad so many times. Ever since Remus was old enough to understand what Magic and Hogwarts were, he had wanted to go. When he had been bitten, it had become clear that Remus would not be able to go. His parents had tried everything to cure their son. His dad had traveled all over the world, bringing Remus with him, trying different cultures ideas of 'cures' for lycanthropy. He had even spent a year in Romania. But nothing had worked.

Now his family was struggling financially with debts from hospital bills, potions, and traveling expenses, and his Dad had given up when he finally realized that no matter what awful potions he feed Remus, nothing would cure him. He hardly ever saw him now. He was always at work at the ministry. Remus smiled a tiny little bit pride. His dad worked at the ministry, and that just what Remus wanted to do someday. He worked in the department for Magical Creatures, in fact, that had been how Remus had been bitten. One of the more vicious werewolves who had known Remus' grandfather had come to Mr. Lupin, trying to get him to change some of the anti-werewolf laws. When Mr. Lupin had told him he didn't have enough power in his department to do such things, that he was only an assistant, the werewolf had fled, angered and promising revenge. And revenge he had taken. At Remus' expense.

Remus used to beg his dad for the name of the werewolf who bit him. There was a time when he became quite obsessed with it, actually. He had wanted revenge.

But as Remus got older and more mature, he realized that revenge would do nothing. Doing something to the werewolf who had bitten him would not stop the transformations. It wouldn't make him normal. It wouldn't make his parents happy. I wouldn't give him friends.

He let out a long, shaky breath. That's what he wanted. More then anything. To have friends. But none of the muggle children on his street liked him. There was a handful that actually teased him for his weak appearance. He had briefly tried going to muggle school when he was eight, but his teachers complained about Remus being absent so often, about how ill he looked all the time, and his strange behavior. That had been his first and last year of school. The next year his dad had taken him and his mother to Romania, another attempt to cure Remus.

He couldn't help it. Thinking about all this was making him terrible lonely, and right now it felt as though he would be that way for the rest of his life. Just one tear, Just one, mind you nothing, rolled down his cheek. He wished he could remember what life before he had been bitten was like. Right now all he think was what it was like now, empty and sad and isolated, and that was all he could see for the future.

Wiping the tear off his cheek in frustration, Remus leaned forward on his haunches, taking the large iron lever at the base of the window and twisting it up. Digging his finger in the crack underneath, he opened rusted window slowly.

The hot July air wasn't to warm, and there was a nice cool breeze blowing in his direction, hitting his face and pushing his hair in all directions. There seemed to be endless rooftops from his window, stretching on for miles. He could hear the shrieks of muggle children playing down below in the street, and the smell of somebody barbequing was floating up on the breeze. Birds, crows, Remus assumed, where gliding over roof tops, just barley skimming the tops of lazily swaying trees.

There was a dark shape in the distance that was flapping its way in Remus' direction. It was a bird, he knew that much. What it was, he wasn't sure. His hands jumped to the window, about to close at the thought of a bird flying into his room. His mum would kill him, she didn't like it when Remus opened his window. But as soon as the bird came close enough, Remus' jaw dropped, and he quickly pulled his hands away.

It was an owl, tawny and strong-looking. It flew in the window, landing on the window seat right beside Remus. Remus' mouth was still hanging open. There was a letter tied around it leg, and it was bearing the Hogwarts crest.

Nervously, he untied the letter, trying desperately not to upset the owl. He didn't know if they bit or not. But the owl gave him a friendly gaze, very calm and patient with Remus' shaking hands. Remus laughed as he thought he saw owl smiling at him, like it knew what a surprise this was. Unfolding the letter, Remus laughed, believing this to be some kind of joke.

_To Mr. Remus J. Lupin_

_The Attic Room_

_Number 31, Mongolia Crescent_

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

Head Master: Albus Dumbledore

_**Dear Mr. Lupin,**_

_**We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have made arrangements for your individual case, and there for request a meeting with you and your parent/guardian on the 28**__**th**__** day of August. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. **_

_**Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later then July 31st.**_

_**Yours Sincerely,**_

_**Minerva McGonagoll**_

_**Deputy Headmistress**_

Remus dropped the letter on the cushion, his body trembling. The owl continued to eye him happily. He had just been thinking about how he would never go, when...when this happens? It seemed unbelievable.

The Owl hooted softly.

Remus sprung up of the window seat, hitting his head on the ceiling again, but this time he didn't care. Scooping up the letter, he darted across the room, yanked open the trapdoor, and jumped down in to the hall way, not bothering to use the later. Running down the stairs two steps at a time, he came to a skidding halt in the kitchen, his stomach jumping with happiness. The smell of the steak cooking didn't even make his nose twitch.

"Mum! Look! Look what just came!"

Anna turned around from her place at the stove, her eyes wide in surprise. She took in the look on her son's face. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time. She Dried her hands on a dishtowel and crouched down to her son's height.

"Remus? Goodness, what's got you smiling like the cat that ate the canary?"

Silently, a grin plastered on his face, Remus held the letter out to his mother. She took it, a look of confusion on her face at first. Then she too smiled, as her son gave her a hug around the neck.

"I can go right?" He said, his voice muffled.

"Of course you can." She didn't understand magic, or Hogwarts as she was a muggle, but she had met Albus Dumbledore previously that month and had taken an immediate liking to him. They had arranged this all, without Remus knowing (which proved to be a difficult task) This would be good for him.

"Mum?"

"Yes?"

"You knew the letter was coming didn't you?"

She laughed. It impossible to keep anything a surprise from this child.


	3. Rebel

"Sirius! Sirius Orion Black, your mother and I have been calling you for ten minutes!" A deep voice boomed from the other side of Sirius' door. Sirius Black rolled his eyes, lazily turning another page in his _Quidditch Weekly _magazine.

"I know. Your point?" He called back. He heard his father splutter.

"Why you ungrateful, little-" In a quick moment, Sirius was at the door, wrenching it open, his eyes blazing.

"What, dad? You ungrateful little what? You can say you know. Go ahead. I know you want to call me a mudblood." He spat, gazing stead fast up into his father's stone cold look. Orion Black turned a strange shade of purple.

"How dare you even suggest that your mother and I could produce a mudblood? You realize what you've just said? You've basically called your own parents muggles!"

Sirius pressed on.

"I wish you were! The wizarding world would be better off without blood-maniacs like our family!" He screamed, his father's face now an inch from his own.

"You brat! You're most fortunately a member of the most ancient and noble house of Black, and you _will _except it! My name is respected by wizards every where-"

"More like feared." Sirius mumbled. His dad stopped mid sentence.

"What did you say?" He growled.

"I said more like our family's bullied anyone one who's anything important into listening to us and giving us influence and perks! That's not respect, Dad! That's sick!"

Sirius yelled. Is father looked at him, startled.

There was a long silence. Sirius was breathing heavily, as though he had just run a marathon. Orion looked at his son with loathing on his face. Finally, when he thought he had a good grip on his emotions, Sirius spoke calmly.

"And if that is what it means to a Black," He said. "Then I promise you dad. As soon as I'm of age, you won't have to have me as a son anymore."

And with that, he slammed the door in his astonished looking father's face.

Sirius stayed at the door, listening for his father to leave. It didn't even interest him why his parents where calling him anymore. When he finally heard the heavy footsteps of the man walking down the hallways and going the stairs, Sirius breathed in relief. Then he crossed the large, fancy room, and pulled the window open. Putting one leg through the window, and then another, he lowered himself down to the eaves of the window below him, Reg's room. He sat down on the roof, looking out over the garden of the old house.

He thought about his life here at Number 12. He loathed it. His whole family where Jerks, in his opinion. Sometimes it seemed like they cared more about how they seemed to the rest of the wizarding world then him. His dad seemed sure that Sirius wasn't even going to get a place in Hogwarts, that he wasn't going to go or get his letter.

Sirius had already learned a long time ago that Reg was his parents favorite. He was such a little suck up, it made Sirius sick.

Then there was his cousins.

Every summer, his cousins, Dromeda, Bella and Cissy where sent to live with Sirius' family in the house of Black. Andromeda was The oldest, going in to her Final year of Hogwarts. Cissy was going into her Fifth year, a prefect in fact, and Bella was the same age as Sirius.

Out of all his family, Andromeda was the only one he could stand. She had the same views as Sirius concerning blood status. She was kind, and caring, and was never to busy with her homework to listen to Sirius ramble on about the newest row he had had with his mum or dad. She was so strongly opposed to the Black family views, in fact, that Sirius knew one of her secrets; she was dating a muggle born.

Of course, as soon as his parents or his aunt and uncle found out, *boom*, there goes Andromeda from the family tree. Andromeda knew this, but she still continued to sneak out of the house every Friday and drive off with her muggle born boyfriend. Sirius had met him once; his name was Ted Tonks, and he was a really cool guy in Sirius' opinion. He was really laid back, and had the kind of attitude that Sirius liked. He was just kinda go with the flow. Andromeda was perfect for him.

Bella and Cissy however where just as bad, if not worse then Regulus. Narcissa was obsessed with her looks, and turned her nose up at all muggle borns like they where trash. She was dating a man named Lucius Malfoy, who was a git to everyone he knew. Sirius also found it kinda gross, as the Blacks where supposed to be related to the Malfoy's. Malfoy was like, Cissy' third cousin once removed or something like that. Sirius really didn't know anymore. But it was to be expected, he supposed. His family had a history of marrying their own cousins to keep their bloodlines pure and junk. It was kind of creepy.

But Bellatrix..well... she was just a bitch to everyone. No other way to describe it. She was constantly harassing Sirius about one thing or another, weather it be his muggle posters or books. She completely shunned Andromeda. Sirius hated the way she pranced around the house, being Regulus' little watchdog, completely eating all his parents said like it was the voice of god. He wouldn't be surprised if Reg and Bellatrix ended up married.

Shuddering at the thought, Sirius pulled out of his brood just in time to see a large, grey spotted fur ball flump down on the roof beside him. Jumping, Sirius inched away from the thing. What was this? Like, a dead bird?

Quite suddenly, something clicked. He had turned eleven two days ago, and it was getting close to September. He excitedly poked the owl, and when it replied 'who?' back, Sirius laughed, grabbing it and helping it stand up right. It was an old owl, and it had a letter around its leg, baring the Hogwarts crest.

Quickly untying it, he clumsily unrolled the piece of parchment, scanning over it quickly. This was it. He only caught the first few words before he knew what it was.

"_Dear Mr. Black...we are pleased to inform you that-"_

"YES!" He cried jumping up and pumping his fist in the air. He was leaving! He was going to Hogwarts! A whole ten months he didn't have to see his parents!

"Who's there?" A sharp voice called from the open window below him. Sirius gasped. He would be so grounded if go caught climbing on the roof! In a flash he was quickly turning around and gripping the window sill with his fingers, scrambling up the scaffolding and heaving himself through the window and onto the bedroom floor. He had only just pulled his leg through when Regulus poked his head out the window below. Shrugging it of as him hearing things, Reg closed the window. Up in his room, Sirius was holding his breath. When he heard the window click shut, his face split into a grin. He was going to Hogwarts!

(Authors Note

Well, there it is! The 2nd chapter now, I think... I hope you like it so far! I know it's probably awful, but this is only my first fanfic. Notice how Sirius and Remus' experience on how they get their letter are really similar, yet so different at the same time? I like reviews! PLEASE...? They help me get better....and I won't be forgetting about this story! There will be tons more chapters if I can help it.:)


	4. Gift

James sat bolt upright in bed, his heart quickening. A loud crash had just woken him up, and it had sounded like it had been coming from...downstairs.

"_Burglars,"_ He whispered under his breath. Groping for his glasses, his fingers finally closed around the cool, metal frames. Putting them on he checked his bedside clock. It was 1:30 am.

Silently, he crept out of his bed, and opened the door, being sure to grab the base ball bat that was on his floor before going out into the hallway. For the one hundredth time, he wished he knew how to do magic.

He went over to the railing, leaning over it to the open below. There was definitely shadows moving in the kitchen.

Bolting down the stairs, tripping over the ends of his too long bathrobe as he ran, James charged into the kitchen, ready to defend his house. When got into the large kitchen, he found an older man with dark grey hair that stuck up in all directions, who looked to be in his early sixties, crouched over on the floor, glasses slightly askew, surrounded by broken glass shards and looking rather embarrassed.

"Dad?" James said, lowering the baseball bat, confused. "What happened?"

"Oh, James," His father said, quickly spinning around on his heels. "Sorry about the noise. Was just trying to pour a glass of milk and I'm afraid missed the counter when I was levitating the glass..."

"Here, Dad, let me help..."

"No, no, James. Don't worry about it. Almost done." His father exclaimed, and with a wave of his wand, the glass shards had disappeared. Grabbing the counter for support, Mr. Potter pulled himself up off the floor and dusted himself of, tightening the sash on his bathrobe. He still seemed rather embarrassed. James just stood there in silence.

"Well," His dad said finally. "Would you care to join me?" He gestured towards the slice of chocolate cake that was sitting on a crystal plate on the counter. James nodded, leaning the bat up against a chair and sitting down. His dad waved his wand and the cake cut another slice of its self, depositing it on a plate that had appeared in front of James. Walking over to the cupboard. His dad opened it and took out two more glasses and began to pour them by hand.

"This time," He said, winking at James. "I think I'll do it the safe way." James laughed as his dad preceded to miss the glass with the milk and pour a fair amount on the floor. James and Mr. Potter laughed as the kitten came in and began to lap up the milk puddle on the floor.

"It's a good thing your mother isn't home." He chuckled, as he handed James a half-full glass.

So they sat together, eating chocolate cake and drinking milk at one thirty in the morning, just enjoying each other's company. James loved his parents. His dad was so cool, he had never been strict on him over following the rules that Mrs. Potter set down

(No sweets before you go to sleep! They'll give you nightmares!") In fact, you might even say Mr. Potter himself had a certain disregard for rules. He played Quidditch with his son on his days off, without fail even though he was getting older and didn't have as much energy as he used to. Mrs. Potter often jokingly said sometimes she felt as though she had two children instead of one.

James loved his mother too. She was stricter with James, concerned that he would become spoiled, but James knew underneath she was a very lighthearted and fun loving person. She was always very patient with both James and Mr. Potter, and James often thought of her as the glue that held their little family together.

Both of his parents worked part time jobs, and his family was fairly wealthy. James knew he was treated so well because he was considered some what of a treasure to his parents, as he had been born when his parents where in their fifties. James often thought now about how they would get along without him when he went of to Hogwarts, which, now that James thought of it, would be coming up very soon.

"Why did you come down stairs with a baseball bat, if you don't me asking?" His dad asked, cutting in to James' train of thought.

"I thought the crash was burglars breaking in." James mumbled through his mouth full of cake. His dad gave a loud hoot of laughter.

"And you where going to come down here all by yourself and defend the house with just a bat?"

James nodded meekly. He could feel the color rising in his cheeks.

"That's m'boy!" His father cried, ruffling James' hair and beaming. "Brave heart you have, son! A true Gryffindor you are! If your not sorted into Gryffindor, them I'm a leprechaun!"

James grinned proudly. There was nothing more in the world that he wanted more then to be sorted in to Gryffindor and make his dad proud. Sometimes he worried, though. What if he was sorted into Hufflepuff? Or Ravenclaw? Or, (James shuddered at the thought) _Slytherin._ James would just die if he got sorted in to Slytherin. He had heard that there hadn't been a single bad witch or wizard who hadn't been in Slytherin. As he had read in books, even the founder of the house himself, Salazar Slytherin, had been a slime ball.

"James," His father said, his change in tone startling. "Don't worry about what house you get sorted into, do you hear me? I'd even be proud if you where sorted into Slytherin. Because it's not about what house your in school, it's about-"

"What difference I make in the world. Yeah, I know." James said. He had heard this many times. His father chuckled.

"That reminds me," He said, putting his arm around James. "This came for you evening."

Very slowly and dramatically, Mr. Potter reached in to one of the deep pocket of his robe and pulled out a manila colored envelope. He handed it to James, who's stomach was jumping.

Mr. James Potter

The Largest Bedroom

Number 18 Adrian Court

Even though he had been expecting the letter, it was still so exciting to actually be holding it in his hands, to know for sure, this it. This was his ticket to Hogwarts. He couldn't wait to start learning to do spells and charms.

He looked over at his dad, who seemed to be absolutely glowing with pride. But James could see the small hint of sadness in his hazel eyes. Swallowing the rest of his bite of cake, James smiled at his dad.

"I'll write to you all the time, dad . Don't worry. I promise I'll make you proud."

His father's smile broke in to a grin, and he put an arm around his son.

"I know you will, James. Oh! And there one more thing."

What? James thought. What else could his dad have to give him? Now his interest was caught as Mr. Potter dove his hand one more time into his pocket. James saw when it was fully out of his pocket that it seemed to be a cloak, but it was silvery, and transparent, James had to squint to see it.

"This," His dad said in a low voice. "Is an Invisibility Cloak. I got in to all kinds of trouble in my youth with this thing. Now, not that I'm, erm, encouraging you to do so, because that would be wrong, " His dad winked, and James laughed. "But now I want to pass it on to you, as my dad passed it on to me. I'm sure you will find..." Mr. Potter paused, as though trying to find the right words. "...uses for it." He held it out to James, who was having a difficult time breathing, just gaping at it.

"Uh...uh, come again?" He stammered. He must have miss heard him. He had read about Invisibility cloaks, They where prized possessions. Mr Potter laughed heartily.

"It's yours!" He cried. "Go on! Take it! Try it out! I assume you know what it is?"

James nodded. With shaky hands, he took it from his dad's steady ones. It felt slippery and silky beneath his fingers, almost like it was a blanket of water.

Slowly, he pulled it over his shoulders and over his head, and got off his stool, walking over to the sink. When he looked back his dad, he was still smiling at the place where James had been sitting a minute ago.

"Dad. I'm over here." James said, waving his arm. His dad looked around the kitchen, confused. James realized waving his arm wouldn't tell Mr. Potter where he was if he was invisible.

"By the sink." He said. Immediately Mr. Potter looked in James direction.

"You really can't see me?" He called out nervously. This was too weird.

"Not at all."

"I'm totally invisible?"

"One-Hundred percent, son."

"COOL!" James yelled, pulling off the cloak and running back to his dad to give him a hug around the neck. This was going to be a good year. A very good year indeed.


	5. The Beginning

I pressed my face against the compartment window as the train shuddered to life. Seeing that it was empty, I pulled it open, dragging my trunk behind me. I couldn't help but cast a doubtful look at the rack above one of the seats as I ran a hand through my hair. Now how was I going to get this old trunk up there?

I kind of hovered around the heavy trunk for a few moments, looking for how best to tackle this dilemma. Finally I grabbed one of the iron handles in each hand, gritting my teeth and pulling upwards as hard I could. It just wouldn't budge.

Readjusting my grip, I bent my knees, and this time was able to get it off the ground. Somehow, and I'm not sure how it happened, I managed to get one end of it stuck in the compartment, wedged tightly between the chair and shelf. My hands slipped as I tried desperately to push it the rest of the way, but I just wasn't strong enough. Cursing inwardly, I braced myself for the trunk to come sliding down on top of my any moment...

"Need some help?"

A voice made me jump, and I peered under my arms to see a boy standing there in the open compartment doorway, his hands in his pockets. He had short black hair like me, but not as messy, and dark eyes. By the grin that was plastered on his face, I could tell he wasn't trying to embarrass or tease me.

"If you don't mind." I grunted back, and immediately the boy was beside me, grabbing the bottom edge of the trunk and giving it a shove. Neatly it slid into the tiny space. Wiping my forehead with the sleeve of my robes, I turned to the boy.

"Thanks," I said. He grinned again.

"No problem," He held his hand out to me.

"Names' Sirius Black." He said. I took his hand and shook it.

"James Potter." I replied. Sirius and I sat down on the seat farthest away from the window.

"So it's your first year too?" He asked, pulling his wand out of his pocket and toying with it lazily.

"Yeah." I said, groaning inwardly. Was it that obvious?

"You nervous about what house your gonna get sorted into?" I asked. Sirius looked at me, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"No, I don't care!" He said. I raised my eyebrows.

"How come?"

"Cause I plan to make up my own house, where there's no curfew, no rules, and no gits allowed!" He cried, now barking with laughter. I laughed too.

"Do you know any spells yet?" Sirius laughed, gesturing towards the wand in his hands. I shook my head.

"No. Do you?" Sirius made a face.

"My cousin Bella tried to teach my some spells, but I'm sure they're bogus, knowing her." He replied.

"Take it you don't like her then?"

"Are you kidding me? She's terrible! She definitely won't be aloud in my fifth house. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Me? No. 'm an only child."

"Lucky! I wish I was." He cried.

"Little brother or sister?" I asked.

"Little brother. Can't stand him."

"Well, trust me, it gets pretty boring being an only child. You don't want that."

The compartment door slid open, and in walked a girl, who looked to be a first year as well. The girl, who was still wearing her muggle clothing, had long, red hair and green eyes. They had to be the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. She walked with the air of somebody who was floating, and as she sat down by the window, she tucked her hair behind her ear, peering at me from behind he wrist. She gave me a small smile. Her teeth where incredibly white...

A boy came hurrying in, sitting down in a flurry beside her. He had greasy black hair, that hung lankly to his shoulders, framing his thin sallow face. He had a hooked nose and dark eyes that seemed to be full of loathing as he glared at me. He was already dressed in his Hogwarts robes, which seemed a bit to big for his tiny size. When he slid his hand closer to the girl's, I fought the need to punch him. The girl looked away from me and Sirius, turning her head back to the boy. They began talk in hushed voices.

"Oi! James! You can stop drooling now." Sirius said, giving me a slap on the back. I looked at him, readjusting my glasses.

"Oh. Sorry. Was I staring?"

"Completely mate." He said, giving me a long teasing look. I felt my face growing hot.

"She's is pretty, isn't she?" He said, punching me in the arm.

"Is she?" I said, trying to sound uninterested, not meeting his eyes. "I didn't notice..."

"Oh, come off it!" Sirius cried, laughing. I laughed too.

A word that the greasy haired boy across from us said caught my attention.

"Slytherin?" I said, causing the boy and girl to look up, surprised. I looked at Sirius, who had raised his eyebrows, his face now solemn. "Who want's to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" I asked Sirius. He gave me an emotionless look.

"My whole family has been in Slytherin." He said. I scoffed in mock disbelief.

"Blimey! And I thought you where all right!" Sirius grinned at me again. I was beginning to notice he did that a lot.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've gotta choice?" He asked. I knew right away what the answer was. I got up on the seat, much to Sirius amusement, pretending to raise a sword.

"'Gryffindor! Where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad." I cried. Sirius nodded. I heard the boy behind me make a snorting sound.

"Got a problem with that?" I exclaimed, spinning around. He looked at me, the corner of his mouth twisting in a sarcastic smile.

"No," He sneered, making my blood feel hotter. I did NOT like him. "If you'd rather be brawny then brainy-"

"So where are you going, seeing as your neither?" Sirius shot back. I laughed at the look of embarrassment on the boy's face. The girl shot me death glare.

"Come on Severus, lets go." She said, her voice lofty. I looked at Sirius, who was wiping tears from his eyes from laughing so hard. Severus? What kinda name was that?

"Oooooo!" Sirius and I chanted as she and "Severus" got up. Just as Severus passed me I stuck my foot out, and he stumbled over it, slamming into the door. My, he was uncoordinated.

"See ya Snivellus!" Sirius called after them as the slammed the door shut.


	6. Friends

Leave it to me to run down somebody in the hallway of a train on the first day of school. I knew I was going to make a clumsy fool of myself, but this soon?

There I was, just struggling down the hall with my dumb, stupid, oversized trunk, not paying attention to where I'm going, and bang! I just ran right in to some other poor kid.

"I'm sorry!" I cried, reaching down to help the boy up. He grabbed my hand, brushing himself off.

"No problem," He said. "I should have been watching where I was going."

He was short, even shorter then me, but thin and frail looking. He had short, sandy brown hair and chocolate eyes that seemed to glow with warmth. He smiled at me, holding out his hand.

"I'm Remus," He said quietly. "Remus Lupin. What's your name?" I shook his hand, returning his smile.

"Peter Pettigrew." I said, grabbing my trolley with one hand. He did the same. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too. Is it your first year too?"

"Uh huh. I was just trying to find a compartment when I, er, ran in to you." I said sheepishly. The boy laughed quietly.

"Me too. It seems like all the compartments are taken!" He said. "Let's try this one..." Just as he reached out too turn the handle, it turned on it's own, and the door wrenched open.

We jumped out of the way as a girl with long red hair came tearing out of the compartment, her green eyes flashing angrily. In tow, a boy with greasy black hair a long nose came out, shoulders hunched defensively. I heard laughing from inside the compartment.

"See yeah, Snivelly!" A voice called over the roaring laughter. Remus and I looked around the corner.

Two black haired boys where sitting opposite each other, doubled over with laughter, one wiping tears from his eyes from laughing so hard. Remus knocked on the door timidly as I watched the boy and girl march down the corridor. What had all that been about?

"Um," Remus said, causing the boys to look at the us, grins still on their faces. "Is it ok if we sit in here? All the other compartments are taken..."

The shaggy haired boy with glasses got up, moving to make room for us beside him. The look on his face friendly, warm. The one with shorter hair too gave me a kind smile.

"Oh! Sure! No problem. Come on in, mate." The one with glasses said. Remus returned his smile warmly, pulling his trunk in and bending down to lift it. Immediately Sirius and James jumped in, helping Remus and I put our trunks up besides the one that was all ready there.

"Thanks!" I said, shaking each of their hands. "I'm Peter, by the way."

"And I'm Remus."

The boy with shorter hair and grey eyes grinned, showing all his teeth.

"This is James," He said, gesturing towards the boy with glasses. "And I'm Sirius."

"Oh, really?" James said from the corner, snickering. "You didn't seem so serious a couple of seconds ago."

Remus and I laughed as Sirius cuffed James up the back of the head.

"Are you brothers?" I asked as Remus and I sat down. James looked at me, surprised.

"Us?" He asked, pointing from Sirius to himself. "No way. We just met!"

There was a sharp knock on the door.

"Hello? Is anybody in there?" A high voice said. I watched as Sirius' face froze in horror, before he looked annoyed.

"Uh oh," He muttered, looking wildly at James. "Quick! Hide me!"

James looked surprised, and mildly amused.

"What? Why?"

"It's my cousin! Please, just hide me!" He whispered as the knocking on the door became quicker. James sighed before diving a hand down the front of his robes, and coming back up with a very odd looking cloak. It was all silvery and transparent, and looked very silky as he ran it between his fingers. Sirius' eyes widened as James pointed to the floor at his feet.

"Get down," He whispered. With a final annoyed glance at the door, Sirius obeyed, and James threw the cloak over him. Much to Remus and my own amazement, Sirius seemed to melt in to the floor. He just...disappeared.

No sooner had Sirius vanished then the door flew open.

I could see why Sirius had wanted to hide.

I girl who looked to be about fifteen, a prefect badge gleaming on her robes, came in. She was tall and very thin, her skin pale and spotless as though she had been sheltered all her life. She had dark eyes just as Sirius did, but lacked the warmth his had. She cast a long look around the room, her nose in the air and her white blonde hair tumbling down her back as she glared at me.

"Is everything all right in here?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip. James smiled innocently, reminding me of a five year old who was trying to get out of punishment.

"Yes, everything is just fine, thank you." He said politely.

"Can we help you?" Remus said sweetly, earning him a suspicious glare from the girl.

"I'm looking for somebody, Sirius Black, and I thought I heard his voice in here . But he's obviously not here..." She said, giving the room a final sweep as she said it.

I could have sworn I heard Sirius' voice say 'obviously', but James coughed to cover it, and the girl didn't notice anything. With a final look in James direction, she turned and left.

Letting a sigh of relief, James bent down, grabbing what appeared to be air, but materialized in to the cloak as he grabbed it, pulling up to reveal Sirius. He jumped up.

"Thanks, mate. " He said, brushing himself off. I couldn't stop gaping at the cloak. He had an _Invisibility Cloak._ I'd always wanted to see what one looked like in real life.

"Was that the one you where talking about before, what's-her-name, Bella?" James said as Sirius sat back down beside me. Sirius snorted.

"No, that's her older sister, Narcissa. She's a prefect. Nosy little thing, isn't she?" He said, scowling. "You see, I'm supposed to be back in the compartment down the hall with Bella and her."

"And you made up an excuse to leave and ditched them?" Remus said, looking amused. Sirius nodded, grinning. "That explains why there was only one trunk."

"Yeah, I left my trunk in the compartment." Sirius said. He groaned. "It sucks I'm gonna have to go get it when the train stops, but oh well. So, how about you? Got any family here at Hogwarts?"

Remus smiled a little sadly. "No, my dad was an only child and my mum's a muggle."

"I'm an only child too. I've got cousins, but their all graduated." I said. Sirius nodded.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait to get to Hogwarts!" I said, looking out the window. It was sunny, and we where currently passing over a bridge. The sun was hitting the river just right, so that it sparkled like bunch of glittery little blue diamonds.

"Where about half way there, dearie. Won't be long now." A voice said from the compartment door. A young witch with long brown hair and large glasses was standing there behind a cart full of sweets.

"You boys want anything?" She said, waving her hand over the cart. My mouth watered as I looked at all the candy. Then I remembered I didn't have any money. Sirius and Remus seemed to realize the same thing, as they too looked disappointed. James smiled, pulling out a bag of sickles and knuts.

"Go ahead guys," He said, as he got up and selected a large treacle tart. "Pick what ever you want. It's on me."

"Hey, thanks, mate!" Sirius said, jumping and grabbing a stack of cauldron cakes. With a wink at the candy witch, (who rolled her eyes) he sat down and began unwrapping his cakes.

"Um, thanks, James." I muttered, trying not too feel to embarrassed. I quickly grabbed a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and sat back down beside Sirius, who had a rather large amount of pumpkin frosting on his nose.

"C'mon , Remus," James said over his shoulder as he counted out the right amount of sickles. "Aren't you going to have anything?"

"Thank you for the offer James, it's very kind, but I wouldn't feel right, you buying treats for us and all." Remus said softly. James smiled.

"All right then," He said, looking at the array of sweets. "Do you like Chocolate Frogs?"

"Yes, I do but-"

"Then I'll buy _myself_ some Chocolate frogs," James cut across him, grabbing a few and paying the witch, who was smiling at him. "And I'll share them with you." He added, tossing most of them in Remus' direction before he subtlety dropped the remaining ones in between Sirius and I.

Remus looked as though he where about to protest for a moment, but then turned a deep shade of red and mumbled his thanks, looking down at the sweets in his lap and began to unwrap one. James waved it off as he plopped down beside Remus.

"No problem! What are friends for?" He said grandly through his mouthful of treacle tart.

Remus beamed.

Authors Note!!!!

Awww, Remus finally has friends! Yay!!!! Poor little Peter. He doesn't get any love in most Marauders fics because he went all coward on us when he got older. I'm gonna try and make sure he gets as much personality as possible. It will be hard, as I hate him as much as the next person, but I'll try.

Sooo sorry about the wait! I've been having computer issues. I've had to re-write this chapter EIGHT TIMES. Yeah.

Thank you to my reviewers:

HowDoesThatMakeMeFeelJasper

KenziCullen

RandomGeek

howlsatthemoony

Please review!!!


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